Beware of Pity
A young officer's pity for a disabled girl leads him into promises he cannot keep.
Stefan Zweig’s only complete novel, set in Austria-Hungary just before the First World War. A young cavalry officer, Anton Hofmiller, makes a blunder at a rich family’s party when he asks their disabled daughter, Edith, to dance. His guilt turns into pity, and his pity draws him into promises he cannot keep. Zweig writes about good intentions and their cost.
Recommended by 1 Person
Steven Amsterdam
It’s a tense, emotional thriller for the well-meaning. All the flickers of behaviour in this family are brought into focus; all the tiny efforts Hofmiller makes to do the right thing are understandable in their urge to appease.
Interview · November 2012
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